Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Generation Project
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Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Generation Project A description of the proposed project and its potential effects on the environment Nipishish Nipishish Lake Lake Red WineRed River Wine River SmallwoodSmallwood Reservoir Reservoir Grand GrandLake Lake NorthNorth West West ChurchillChurchill Falls Falls River River SheshatshiuSheshatshiu ChurchillChurchill Falls Falls GeneratingGenerating Station Station HappyHappy Valley Valley - - GooseGoose Bay Bay Mud LakeMud Lake MuskratMuskrat Falls Falls Site Site r r Wi Wi e e no no v v kapauk Laapkaeu Lake i i R R u u m m a a n n Gull IslandGull Island e e K K Site Site ChurchillChurchill River River QUEBECQUEBEC DominionDominion Lake Lake MinipiMinipi InterconnectingInterconnecting Transmission Transmission Line Line Lake Lake LABRADORLABRADOR Lower ChurchillLower Churchill River Valley River Area Valley Area Lower ChurchillLower Churchill Watershed Watershed QUE BE CQUE BE C INSET INSET 0 0 25 25 50 50 KilometresKilometres Nipishish Nipishish Lake Lake Red WineRed River Wine River SmallwoodSmallwood Reservoir Reservoir Grand GrandLake Lake NorthNorth West West ChurchillChurchill Falls Falls River River SheshatshiuSheshatshiu ChurchillChurchill Falls Falls GeneratingGenerating Station Station HappyHappy Valley Valley - - Conceptual Illustration of the Muskrat Falls Generation Station GooseGoose Bay Bay Mud LakeMud Lake MuskratMuskrat Falls Falls Site Site r r Wi Wi e e no no v v kapauk Laapkaeu Lake i i R R u u m m a a n n Gull IslandGull Island e e K K Site Site ChurchillChurchill River River QUEBECQUEBEC DominionDominion Lake Lake MinipiMinipi InterconnectingInterconnecting Transmission Transmission Line Line Lake Lake LABRADORLABRADOR Lower ChurchillLower Churchill River Valley River Area Valley Area Lower ChurchillLower Churchill Watershed Watershed QUE BE CQUE BE C INSET INSET 0 0 25 25 50 50 KilometresKilometres Conceptual Illustration of the Gull Island Generation Station Nalcor has written this Plain Language Summary, which provides a short description of the Project, and describes how the Project will affect the environment. It also explains what Nalcor plans to do if it receives approval from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada to build the Project. The summary is available in: English, French, Innu-aimun (Labrador and Quebec dialects), Naskapi and Inuttitut. Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Consultation ......................................................................................................... 5 Need and Benefits of The Project......................................................................... 7 The Project ........................................................................................................... 9 Dams And Reservoirs ................................................................................................ 9 Generation Facilities ...............................................................................................10 Spillway ...................................................................................................................11 Transmission Line ....................................................................................................11 Other Facilities ........................................................................................................12 Building The Project ........................................................................................... 13 Generation Facilities Construction ..........................................................................14 Reservoir Clearing And Filling ................................................................................14 Transmission Line ....................................................................................................15 Rehabilitation ..........................................................................................................15 Operating and Maintaining The Project ............................................................. 16 Environmental Assessment ................................................................................ 17 Natural and Human Environment Today ............................................................ 20 Climate ....................................................................................................................20 The River .................................................................................................................21 Plants .......................................................................................................................22 Wildlife ....................................................................................................................22 Economic Development ..........................................................................................23 Adjacent Communities ...........................................................................................23 Land And Resources Use ........................................................................................24 Cultural And Heritage Resources ............................................................................25 Effects of The Project on The Natural and Human Environment ......................... 26 Climate ....................................................................................................................27 The River .................................................................................................................28 Plants .......................................................................................................................31 Wildlife ....................................................................................................................32 Economic Development ..........................................................................................35 Adjacent Communities ...........................................................................................36 Land and Resources Use .........................................................................................37 Cultural and Heritage Resources ............................................................................38 Monitoring and Follow-Up ................................................................................. 39 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 40 Introduction Nalcor Energy (Nalcor) is a company owned by the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Nalcor is proposing to build the Lower Churchill Hydroelectric Generation Project (the Project) on the lower Churchill River in Labrador. The purpose of the Project is to generate electricity. The Project will involve building power generation facilities and dams at two locations, creating two reservoirs, and building transmission lines between the two facilities and to existing transmission lines at Churchill Falls. Nalcor is committed to providing safe, reliable and dependable electricity to its customers and is committed to helping sustain a diverse and healthy environment for present and future generations. It shows this commitment by doing its business in a As part of the Project planning, Nalcor way that respects the environment, such as is committed to avoiding and minimizing avoiding pollution, doing things in ways that harm to the environment, and enhancing cause as little damage to the environment the benefits of the Project. Nalcor will do as possible, and following all environmental this in a number of ways. These include: laws and regulations. • meeting regulatory requirements Before construction starts, Nalcor will prepare for environmental protection; Environmental Protection Plans that workers • designing and implementing the will be required to follow. These Plans will Project so that it avoids or reduces provide detailed instructions explaining how potential environmental effects; and work is to be done so that the environment • designing the Project so that is protected. it enhances positive effects. 1 Introduction Nalcor cannot build the Project unless it receives approval from both the Government of Canada, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. To receive approval Nalcor must first go through a review of the Project. This process is called an environmental assessment. The environmental assessment process started in December 2006, when Nalcor submitted the Project Registration/Description Document to the governments. The governments then decided that the Project should be reviewed by a Joint Review Panel. The Joint Review Panel is a group of people who were chosen by the governments but act independently to examine the environmental effects of the Project, determine how those effects can be mitigated, and consider comments from government departments, aboriginal groups, non governmental organizations and the general public. The governments also issued Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines which provided instructions for what to include in the Environmental Impact Statement. 2 Introduction Nalcor prepared an Environmental Impact Statement which provides the information the governments need to decide if the Project should be allowed to proceed. The Environmental Impact Statement was provided to the Joint Review Panel and released for public review in February 2009. The Environmental